To Love in Vain
by Lady of the Emblem
Summary: When Fiora and Shulk announce their impending marriage, how will Melia handle it? Will she be happy for her first love, or will she crack? Heavy spoilers. Discretion is advised. Part I of the Unrequited Love Sequence.


_**Melia's 1st person POV**_

_**~X~**_

The day I had been dreading had finally arrived. I knew its coming was inevitable, but I didn't know I would have to face it so soon.

Shulk's wedding. Not to me, of course. If he was marrying _me,_ I certainly wouldn't be dreading it. No, his wedding to Fiora.

I didn't plan to come. I could have easily concocted some reason for being unable to attend. But Fiora, she had trapped me in a tight place, and I couldn't refuse without seeming extremely rude.

_~It was a beautiful sunny day, just one week after returning to Colony 9 after our perilous journey. All the girls were staying in Fiora and Dunban's house, and the boys (including Dunban) were staying with Shulk. Sharla and I were making idle chit-chat as we tidied up the kitchen after breakfast. Fiora wasn't home, she said that she was going to have breakfast in the park with Shulk._

_All of a sudden, the door flew open and Fiora rushed in, squealing like a little girl._

_"What's gotten you so worked up?" Sharla teased playfully. _

_"Oh Sharla! Shulk proposed!" Fiora exclaimed, showing us her ring. It was a silver band, with two gems side-by-side in the middle, a piercing green emerald and a deep sparkling ruby. Next to the green gem, her name was carved in a beautiful elegant script, and on the side of the ruby, the same thing, with Shulk's name. _

_It was a gorgeous ring, but the sight of it made me sick. It reminded me that with each day, I would be getting closer to losing Shulk forever. Whatever tiny hope I had festering inside me was crushed. _

_"Melia, Sharla, you two have to be my bridesmaids!" Fiora exclaimed._

_Oh no. No, no, no. It was one thing to know that Shulk was promising his eternal love to another girl, and it was another thing to be five feet away when he did it. _

_"Oh no, I couldn't," I said in my most polite voice. "I can't really cope with that kind of attention."_

_"Are you sure Melia? You don't have to be a bridesmaid if don't wish, but you must attend." Fiora said, her smile totally genuine and understanding. _

_"Quite sure. And of course I will attend. Now if you'll excuse me for a moment.." I got up and walked out side for some fresh air. _

_I wanted to hate Fiora so much. I was envious of her, because as long as she was here, I knew I could never be with Shulk. She was so genuine and friendly towards me, yet I struggled to mask my envy and hatred towards her._

_I was so preoccupied with my thoughts that I slammed right into Dunban. "Are you okay?" He asked worriedly, holding me by the shoulders when I stumbled. _

_"I'm fine, thank you. I was just thinking about Fiora's engagement." I said. Not quite a lie, but not the whole truth either. _

_"I see. So Shulk did follow through with it." He mused._

_"Wait." I said, genuinely curious. "Do you mean to say that Shulk wasn't going to propose to Fiora?" My tiny hope was revived. Maybe he didn't want to marry Fiora..._

_"Not quite. You see, when Shulk came to ask for my consent, I told him he could ask Fiora whenever he wanted, and I would be okay with that. I told him he might want to wait a year or two though, but he was adamant in his decision." Dunban explained. _

_"Why did you advise him to wait?" I asked, still curious._

_Dunban sighed and ran a hand through his raven hair. "They're both awfully young. Shulk is eighteen years old and Fiora is seventeen years old."_

_I was genuinely startled by this. I though they were older for sure. In Homs' years, I was twenty-two years of age, making my four years older than Shulk and five years older than Fiora. _

_"It's been great seeing you Dunban, but I must be going." I quickly excused myself, almost breaking into a sprint as I fled.~_

I didn't hate Fiora as a person. If it wasn't for my stubborn heart, I'm sure we could have been great friends. But as it was, I couldn't be around her without being reminded of Shulk.

I had got to know her quite well in the last few days, when we were helping her to pack her things and move them into Shulk's house. Everyone thought they should have the house to themselves once they were married, so Reyn and Dunban stayed in the Defense Force barracks, and Riki moved into Dunban's house.

There were a lot of thing I never thought about. But I constantly thought about how I was going to be able to watch Shulk and Fiora promise themselves to each other without flying into a rage. But I had to go now, because I told Fiora I would, and if I didn't, everyone would know something was amiss.

I dressed myself in a pale blue halter-top dress, and hung pale blue crystal earrings to match. Stepping into my silver shoes, I left the house and started walking, leaving the colony and heading toward the large pavilion where the wedding was taking place. They had do it outside because most of the colony would be in attendance. Everyone wanted to see the hero get married.

Except me.

I entered, and Shulk was already waiting at the end of the aisle. He was wearing a black suit with red accents. The pavilion itself was white, decorated with red and green. I sat as far away from Shulk as I possibly could, which was a corner near the entrance of the tent. More people arrived, and seated themselves, trying to sit as close to the end of aisle as possible. Servers walked around with glasses of wine. I gratefully accepted mine, knowing that I would probably have to drink myself under the table to live through the night.

Soon enough, the red and green ether lamps were dimmed, everyone was seated, and sweet music began to play. Sharla and Reyn walked in, arm in arm, up to the stage, Sharla carrying a green ether lamp and Reyn a red one. Then Fiora walked in, arm in arm with Dunban.

As much as I envied Fiora, I had to admit, she looked amazing. Her traditional white dress was shot through with green accents that complimented her eyes and the decorations. Her bouquet of roses was bright red, and must have had some small lights stuck in it, because they emitted a soft glow. She walked up the aisle and Dunban gave her away. Then they started saying their vows. I took another big gulp of wine and swiped the tears from my eyes. It was a a small mercy that I was too far to hear them properly. Despite my blurry vision, I saw them exchange rings. Despite my blurry vision, I saw them kiss.

Something broke inside of me. Whatever tiny hope still lived- it was dead now for sure. I saw the glowing couple move to the dance floor and have their first dance together. I wiped away more tears and stumbled out of the pavilion. I walked around to the back, where no one would see me. I sank down to the ground, not caring if my dress got dirty. After all, I could have a new one made. I was an Empress. I could have anything I wanted.

Except the person I loved.

Sharla had Reyn, and Fiora had Shulk, and I'm sure Dunban was seeing someone. Riki was already married with twelve kids and a thirteenth on the way. I was the only one who didn't find someone to share their life with.

Sharla had Reyn, Fiora had Shulk, and I'm sure Dunban was seeing someone. Riki was already married with thirteen kids and a fourteenth on the way. I was the only one who didn't find someone to share their life with.

I don't know how long I sat there, wallowing in my own self-pity. Then, a voice.

"Melia?"

_It was Shulk._

Why? Why does the world hate me so? It wasn't enough that I had to watch my first and only love get married to another girl, but that he had to see me like this, drunk and dirty and disheveled.

"Yes?" I mumbled, lifting my head slightly to look at him. Him and his charming sapphire eyes and shining blond hair.

"Are you okay? I was looking for you inside." He said. But why was he seeking me out?

"Why were you looking for me?" I asked, the surprise evident in my voice.

"I hadn't seen you all day, and thought you might appreciate a dance." He explained. I couldn't help it. I burst into tears. The combination of wine and emotions was overwhelming. "Melia? What's wrong?" Shulk asked worriedly, his sapphire eyes wide with concern. I suddenly remembered the day we firstmet...

_~"Are you okay?" I heard a male voice say. It wasn't my body guards, they were more formal and stiff. I blearily opened my eyes and started to sit up, but I couldn't see anything properly except for a man's face. Blond hair and blue eyes. A Homs. He put a hand on my arm, and acting on pure instinct, I slapped him across the face. Immediately I felt mortified, for he was only trying to assist me. His jewel toned eyes were wide with shock and surprise...~_

Oh, of course it wasn't love at first sight. At first it was only a desire to impress him and change his probably warped image of me. But it slowly became something more...

"Melia!" I realized Shulk was shaking my shoulder as I stared off into the sky.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. "Forgive me." I murmured as my tears ceased.

"Melia," Shulk's asked worriedly. "why are you out here by yourself? You should be inside, enjoying yourself."

I couldn't take it anymore. I just couldn't. The whole of our journey, I waited. I knew it wasn't the time to be professing my feelings, not while we in the middle of the war. I thought, genuinely, that we had a chance together. That hope was mostly destroyed when I overheard that Shulk and Fiora kissed when they were alone on the Fallen Arm together. It wasn't fair. I patiently bided my time, waiting for this war to end, but it had all been for nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

"Well?" Shulk asked.

"I can't!" I shouted loudly with another burst of tears. "You just don't understand Shulk!"

Oh, never have I ever despised someone so much as I despised Shulk in that moment. Why couldn't I have loved someone else? Anyone but him!

"What do I not understand?" He asked quietly.

_"That I love you!"_

There. I said it. He knows, now I will truly know what will become of me.

Shulk was quiet. "Melia, I—"

I couldn't deal with it.

"Save it Shulk. I don't want your pity."

"Since when?" Shulk asked quietly.

"Since the day I met you, you oblivious idiot." I said, starting to cry again. But this time, when he moved to comfort me, I pushed him away.

"Go." I sobbed. "Go back to Fiora. She's probably waiting for you." I said, the hurt evident in my voice.

Shulk opened his mouth to say something, but I didn't want to hear it. "_Go!_" I shouted at him hatefully. I knew that he didn't deserve this kind of behavior. He didn't wrong me in any way. This was all really my fault.

I didn't know what would happen now. It was too much to expect that things would stay the same. I walked as fast as I could, back to Fiora's h— no, Dunban's house now. Fiora's going to live with Shulk now. I gathered all my belongings, which weren't much to begin with.

I went to the outskirts of the Colony, where my personal pod was docked. I turned it on and flew away from Colony 9. They say it's a pain to love. But the greatest pain is to love in vain.

**_~X~_  
**

**Author's Note:**

**EDIT: 3/24/15 Thanks a bunch to the two guests who helped me with some errors and helped me improve my writing. **

**I planned that maybe Dun****ban would find Melia after Shulk left and the end the story on a hopeful note and a hint of a relationship between them. But it seemed wrong considering how much she loved/hated Shulk.**

**Also I have nothing against Melia, I actually think she's pretty cool.**

**Anyway I hoped you liked my first crappy attempt at romantic angst. **

**Thanks for reading and review pls.**

**5/21/15 AUTHORS NOTE:**

**Rejoice. Unrequited Love is becoming a series. I have a fetish for that type of story...Anyway, it will not be all Xenoblade based. Each installment will be a oneshot of its own, and each for a different game series. Fire Emblem Awakwning, Kid Icarus, and Mario are some of the ones I've planned.**


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